Presidential hopefuls have struggled to settle on a position amid warning signs that the party is on the wrong side of public opinion on the issue
Some of the campaigns did not respond to requests for comment about their positions on the issue. A spokeswoman for the RNC declined to comment.
Kevin Madden, a GOP adviser on Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, said Republicans have not offered a coherent message on abortion since thedecision. Before, when abortion protections were considered settled law, it was easier for Republicans to have a unified antiabortion message.“Fifty years of message discipline is now gone, and in its place is this balkanized issue,” he said. “There’s no party-wide effort to provide information or policy direction on this.
In private, Conway has told donors and candidates that they should talk about the need for exceptions and speak with “compassion” about the issue — but also focus on characterizing Democrats as wanting abortion to be legal no matter what. She has told candidates that the American public will not like that position, either, and to “go on offense.” She has been working with McDaniel behind the scenes on the issue and briefed donors in Nashville.
DeSantis answered by saying that abortion is an issue that is now in the purview of the states, according to five participants who were in the room, and he acknowledged that what resonates in Iowa may not resonate in New Hampshire. He also pointed to his reelection margin of victory in a year that he signed a measure that banned most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
As a member of Congress, DeSantis voted for bills banning abortion after 20 weeks but never joined more than 170 House Republicans who signed on to a federal six-week ban in 2017 and 2018.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
GOP mayor considering 2024 presidential run says defeating Trump, DeSantis is possible by 'inspiring people'Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami, Florida, during a stop in New Hampshire, tells Fox News he's 'seriously considering' a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Read more »
Ex-Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says abortion will move to back burner in 2024Abortion won't be a priority for voters in 2024, according to former Gov. Asa Hutchinson who announced earlier this month that he intends to run for the Republican presidential nomination.
Read more »
Rep. Chip Roy endorses DeSantis for 2024 GOP nomination: 'Enormously successful record' | Fox News VideoRep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, walks through his decision to endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and discusses lawmakers' fight over the debt ceiling.
Read more »
Robert Kennedy Jr. announces Democratic 2024 presidential bidRobert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine advocate and environmental lawyer, formally launched his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday.
Read more »
Chris Christie rips GOP hopefuls 'playing footsie' with Trump as former governor mulls 2024 runChris Christie, the former New Jersey governor and a 2016 primary rival to former President Trump, laid out his view of the current GOP field and what he'd do if he entered the race.
Read more »
Democrat Robert Kennedy Jr. Launches Presidential Campaign in BostonDemocrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr. formally launched his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday in Boston, Massachusetts.
Read more »